The Kaman piece is huge for this team. It really is. We armchair analysts like to talk about how shooters can stretch the floor. What can a couple of competent big men on either block do? Create a defensive concavity on the floor that requires an opponent to shift everything low. With the exception of the Thomas-Radmanovic swap and Cassell's p.f., the personnel hasn't changed from the postseason squad. The different is that the Clippers haven't been forcing teams into a brutish half-court grind. You know, the kind of game in which the teams combine for five fast break points because so much of the action is occurring below the foul line. The Clippers won last season because they presented a unique challenge to opponents: A bifurcated attack down low [anchored primarily by an eager, confident, quick-releasing Elton Brand] along with unusually physical players on the wing who also use their superior size and strength by posting and drawing contact. Remember those guys?

I'm not suggesting that a home win over a beleaguered Sacramento team is anything to stick in the scrapbook. The Kings have nobody who demands a true double-team, which frees up the Clips to play their offensive unit for long stretches. The Clippers also turned the ball over way, way too much. But what I saw tonight at Staples Center was the closest thing to a facsimile of last year's formula.

Back to Kaman for a sec. He isn't patshking around in the lane after he receives the ball. While I have absolutely no way of knowing for certain, doesn't it seem like the less Kaman deliberates, the cleaner the shot? The other key for Kaman right now, which he achieved tonight is Blocks ≥ Turnovers. Tonight: 3 Blocks, 2 Turnovers. But the ultimate litmus test of Kaman's effectiveness, the factor that will tell you everything you need to know --- is the opponent sending a double-team? Tonight, they did.

The old Clipper defense showed up. Even without Ross, the Clippers --- Mobley and Livingston, really --- held Kevin Martin to a modest 14 points on 3-11 from the floor. I didn't spot too many blown rotations. Most of the brainfarts tonight resulted in Sacramento blow-bys, largely on nifty dives to the basket off of elbow screens and such. [I know he hasn't had much success, but I like Eric Musselman.]

When Corey rebounds, plays off the ball, and doesn't turn it over, he's a phenomenally efficient player. Readers of this here weblog will attest that Clipperblog is not one to overestimate Corey's value. And I'm well aware that Ron Artest showed nothing tonight so it's easy to tilt this hypothetical conveniently in Corey's favor. Having said that, I don't understand what the organization would accomplish by a Maggette-Artest swap. Artest can't shoot the ball from any distance and he's no better a rebounder than Corey. His ability to guard big men would be a nice tool in the shed, but no more useful than a slasher who can manufacture points from the line. Finally, while Corey occasionally pouts, Ron Artest is a congenital sociopath. I have no problem parting with Corey, but not if the Clips can't address their most pressing need.

Posted Wednesday, October 29 at 3:20PM

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Comments

Just the same, you can't underestimate the value of hitting a good percentage of outside shots. Last night it was Cat who was deadly from downtown and help to open things up for the bigs.

I think it was a significant win for the team's confidence. They snapped that god awful losing streak against the Kings, who I believe were at full strength healthwise, and they had won their last two games.

The Clippers are going to be OK. The last two games you can see that there getting it together. I beleive what they want to accomplish will get done. That is getting over 500 by the All Star break. Tim Thomas is bieng the player the Clippers envisioned. Hitting a couple of 3's, posting up and hitting his jumpers and most of all playing some defence. Hopefully Brand does't go the the All Star game so he could rest up for the rest of season and the playoffs. Yes we will make the Playoffs this year!!!

Granted, that an EB, Kaman, Artest would give us a crazy front court, is Artest a "better" player?

Check out the Comparison of Artest and Maggs on basketball-reference.com. First of all, did you know that they've both played the same number of years in the NBA? Did you also know that Artest and Maggs have played 408 and 444 games respectively? Given all of this, check this out...

PER GAME:
* Maggs gets 1.5 more FT and FTA.
* Maggs gets 1 less AST.
* Maggs gets 1.5 less STL.
* All else is about the same.
* Maggs plays about 6 less minutes.

Maggs is clearly the more efficient player, and TOs only go from -0.08 to 0.56, slightly in favor of Artest.

I think the bigger loss for the clips are the FT/FTA stat. Who other than Maggs can consistently get to the line? Other than the 3 blind mice, there isn't really a team out there that can stop Maggs from getting to the line. I can't help but think that Maggs is too valuable to the clips. Isn't it also the case that getting to the line favors transistion defense, and keeping our offense "below the line"?

Unless we get a pure, and I mean PURE shooter, I vote no-go on the Artest-Corey deal.

Hey John S. If we win against the Knicks on Sunday it would be a really good sign that the clippers are turning it around. The Knicks have been playing good basketball since the MSG debacle. GO CLIPPERS!!!!!!!!!